Patricia Manfield Remixes Rihanna and Kills it in Street Style

The chic blogger talks taking on trolls and working with her boyfriend.

Patricia Manfield hits the street style scene with a bang—often on the arm of her partner and boyfriend Giotto Calendoli or flanked by chic compatriots Diletta Bonaiuti or Gilda Ambrosio. Her hometown Milanese light seems to suit her best—giving that air of la dolce vita on a moped. But don't mistake her for some sort of vintage throwback—Manfield is all Italian modernity. The blogger of two years is known to remix Rihanna on her keyboard and post the videos to YouTube or take on social media trolls directly on Instagram. Here, Manfield shares some of her go-to summer looks—an approach she calls "effortless but elegant"—and breaks down the Italian style game now.

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Harper's BAZAAR: What prompted you to start your blog?

Patricia Manfield: It was actually my boyfriend and partner Giotto who pushed me to open it and I remember he even paid for the domain name at the time.

HB: How would you describe your style?

PM: I think style is all about personality and we all wear clothes in a different way. I am definitely versatile, I love boyfriend-inspired and indie outfits—yet I am all for a sexy dress.

HB: Which designers are you loving right now?

PM: My main obsession is Saint Laurent and I am also loving Vetements, which I think is simply amazing. I wish they had an official store in Milan.

HB: Do you step up your fashion game for fashion weeks or do you dress up every day?

PM: It depends on how I wake up. For example, on the last day of this men's fashion week I wore jeans and a tee. But there have also been times that I had chosen a look for Fashion Week weeks before because maybe I had a new entry in my wardrobe that I thought would've needed a special occasion. Fashion Month for me is just like the month of "first dates" with a boy you like: you always want to look your best, yet you never wear the same dress two times in a row no matter how much you love it.

Diego Zuko

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HB: What are some of your go-to Milan shopping destinations?

PM: I love Vintage Markets and stores in Milano, but I usually rely on Giotto to create some of my clothes. Milano is full of fabric stores so we often go, choose the materials and create our own.

HB:How would you explain Italian or Milanese style? Do you think your style embodies it?

PM: I think Italians have a way of making anything that's casual, cool. And I have learned that from Italy over the years. I definitely think I took inspiration mostly from the British and the non-chalant Parisian and mixed those with the Italian sense of elegance.

Giotto Calendoli at Domaine de Manon Dior

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HB: You've been vocal about negative comments about body image on your Instagram. Why was it important for you to make a statement. What has the feedback been?

PM: I have never given any particular meaning to negative comments on Instagram because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. What I do think, though, is that I also have teenage girls following me and in a way viewing me as an older sister. After endless body-shaming comments I thought it was important to respond right way. I don't think anorexia is something to joke about and I wanted my younger followers to understand that. The feedback has been amazing because people were happy someone finally spoke out.

A post shared by H Ē I R (@patriciamanfield) on Jun 23, 2015 at 3:43pm PDT

HB:How would you explain your relationship with instagram? How do you use it?

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PM: I am still very much obsessed with Tumblr and I am such a hipster when it comes to photo-sharing. But Instagram allows me to show my way of seeing things everyday! I am not necessarily strategic and I don't publish things I know people will eventually like. I express myself fully.

HB: Tell us about the gentleman you are often shot with in street style…

PM: Well he is a little bit of everything to me: he's my best friend and my family. I think being in a relationship and working together at the same time has been a challenge, but we both went through the good and the bad with the greatest optimism. He's also very talented when it comes to designing and that is something I'm very supportive of today.

Giotto Calendoli at Domaine de Manon Dior

HB: What is your view of street style photographers?

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PM: Every time I have a talk with each one of them, I always ask them how they do it. They run all day and edit all night. Street photography was very big back in the '50s... I adore Vivian Maier and Bresson, but I think what's genius about street style photographers now is their ability to capture moments in life accompanied by great sense of style. Technique matters, but what also matters is a great eye for details—and that is something you are born with.

HB: Tell us about your musical endeavors… How long have you been playing, would you like to make it more of a career?

PM: My parents are both musicians so I grew up in the system. I love how music makes me have a taste of different emotions each time. And I have been writing songs for as long as I can remember. It will definitely evolve into something, but it's still a process in the making.

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HB: Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?

PM: First of all I would love to be happy, married and maybe pregnant? And career-wise, I would love to be the kind of woman who wakes up in the morning and adores what she does.

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